Fuze



F. B. HALE Aug. 2., 1960 FUZE " 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 17, 1958 Fig.

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INVENTOR. Frank B. Hale ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1960 Filed March 17, 1958 F. B. HALE A FUZE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Fran/r E. Hale 5 BY v 2 u aTrofm/EY vlying in a given plane.

United StatesPatcfl FUZE Frank B. Hale, Bel Air, Md., assigner to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed Mal'. 17, 1958, Sel'. N0. 722,106

4 Claims. (Cl. lill-79) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This relates to a fuze and burster unit for use in bombs.

An object of this invention is to provide a centrifugal- 1y armed fuze which will be extremely safe in its unarmed condition and will be centrifugally armed by rotation about any one of a number of diiierent axes.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the burster unit as a whole, taken on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, showing the fuze in its unarmed position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the fuze alone taken generally on the line 2 -2, Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a partial transverse section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the slider in its unarmed position.

Fig. 5 is a View corresponding to Fig. l, showing the fuze in its armed position.

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, showing the Euze in its armed position. It is taken generally on the line 6 6, Fig. 5. i

I1Eig. 7 is a partial transverse sectional View taken on line 7 7, Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to Fig. 4, but showing the fuze in its armed position.

Bombs have been developed, particularly for use in chemical, radiological and bacteriological warfare, which may rotate in `falling about any one of numerous axes The :bomb may strike the ground in any one of numerous positions.

This invention relates to a centrifugally armed impact actuated fuze and burster .unit which is suitable for use in such a bomb. Because of the extremely deadly nature of such bombs in proportion to their size, it is necessary to .provide a structure which is extremely safe and, at the same time, extremely compact. My invention meets these requirement.

In Figures 1 and 5 of the attached drawings I have shown a complete burster unit. In the other figures I have shown sections of the `fuze per se.

The burster unit includes burster end plates 1, 3, which are screwed to Shanks 5, 7, of the fuze body. A shell 9 joins end plates ll, 3 and encloses explosive charge 1.1.

The uze body comprises a plate member 13, which is integral with shank 7, a plug connector 15, which is integral with shank 5, a main .body member 17, and a cam plug 19 which is joined to plug connector 15 by pin 21. Plug 19 and main body member 17 enclose a chamber having conical end surfaces 23, 25 Iwhich act as cam surfaces, as will be later described.

Within the chamber is a primer-striker mechanism, shown in its unarmed position in Fig. 1. It is formed of a primer sleeve 27 and a striker sleeve Z9. These two sleeves are in slidable, telescopic relationship to eachv d other. Primer sleeve 27 carries a primer 31 which is` .A leverr71 isfree to rotate.V Detent cam has a planet` 2,947,256 15am-ated Au`g`. 2, 1960 Z ,Y in open communication with thevchamber. Striker sleeve 29 carries a primer tiring pin 33 which is aligned :with primer 31. Primer tiring pin 33 carries a locking pin L35. This locking pin is .carried in a socket vwhich is open at one end. A spring 37 is also mounted in the socket and urges pin 35 toward the open end.

Within primer sleeve 2.7 is a detent 39 which is urged toward loc-king pin 35 -by spring 41. On the other side of locking pin 35 is a second detent 43 which is urged toward locking pin 35 by spring 45, whichV engages striker sleeve Z9. The detents 39 and 43 engage the headof locking pin 35 and hold it in its socket. -v In this position (Fig.` l), the locking pin 35, mounted on ring pin 33, engages in a slot in primer sleeve 27 and prevents movements of strikersleeve'29 and 'firing pin 33 toward primer 31. As the sleeves' engage'the conical' end walls 23, 25, the entire structure isy held rigidly in place. Y The arming of this portion of the fuze may be observed by comparing Fig. 1 and Fig. 5. the bomb rotates about any one of the many axes lying in plane 3 3 and passing through the axis of firing pin 33. Under the in-uence of the resulting centrifugal force, detents 39-43 move `apart tothe position l shown in-Pig. 5. This frees locking pin 35, which then pushed partially out of its socket by spring 37. `In thisV position it no longer engages the slot in primer sleeve 27. This portion of the mechanism is then armed Vand is sensitive .to impact in any direction and operates in .the same manner as the fuze'described in my Patent No. `2,426,662 granted May 20, 1947. This isy only a part'of the complete arming operation of the fuze, however. i The second part will Anow-be described. j

The end of main body member17 is cut away to form an arcuate slot'S-l in which is mounted on arcuate slider 53; The slider carries a detonator 55 and a slider locking pin57 mounted in a socket 59. The'slider`53 is explosive lead 65 which'extendsY through end plate 13.`

Slider lock pin 57 is seated in socket 67 for-med. in

plate 13.

Slider 53 is urged toward this armed position by slider spring 69. The nature of Figures 4 `and 8 should belnoted at this point. These gures are not l'tr-ue sections but are diagrammatic in character to show the operation of the'Y parts. Fig. 4 approximates a section beginning at the'V top of Fig. 2 on the plane 1 1, then following an arc .thru slider 53 and nally ending at the bottom of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 bears the same relationship to Fig. 6. In each case, certain of the parts are out of their true positions. The true positions are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.

In the unarmed position, Figs. 1 4, the slider 53 is held l in such a position that Ithe detonator 55 is `out of ment with detonator tiring pin 61. A locking mechanism holds slider 53 in this position against the action of slider spring 69.

The locking mechanism comprises .a locking lever 71 comprising a central cylinder 73 having "a locking cam 75 on its outer end and a detent cam 77 on its inner cylindrical depression 79 formed in the periphery of" slider.53. .The slider cam thus moves only if locking In operation,

surface which eccentrically contacts detent bar 81 (see Fig. 3). Detent bar 81, in turn, abuts on detents 83, 85 which are slidably mounted in body member 17 and are .urged inwardly -by -detent springs 87, 89. A stop screw 91 closes the bore 'in which rdctent bar 81 is mounted.

Ehe action of this portion ofthe arming mechanism is kas follows:

Upon rotation about any axis in plane 3--3 and passing through the axis of ring pin 33, detents 83, 85 will vmove-outwardly against springs 87, 89, releasing detent Vbar `81. Locking lever 71 is then free to rotate under the action of slider spring 69, slider 53 and locking cam 75, throwing detent bar 8.1 outwardly against stop 'screw 91. This releases slider 53 which is moved to- Ward its armed position by slider spring 69. Slider lock pin 57 is 'also urged outwardly by centrifugal force. When Vit comes into alignment with socket 67 it is driven into :that socket, .locking slider 53 in its armed position.

`Detonator ring pin 61 includes a piston 93 which closes bore 63. It also includes a shank 95 which ts in a socket in body member 17. Piston 93 and shank 95 .have sliding ts with their mating parts. Behind piston 93, bore 63 is in open communication with the central chamber of the fuze and with primer .31. When the primer explodes, detonator tiring pin 61 is driven forward.

Operation Springs 41, `45, 87 and 89, are so designed that detents 83, 85 will'always arm at a speed of rotation equal to or lower than the speed of rotation required to arm detents 39 and 43. When the bomb reaches the required rotational -speed the following action therefore takes place.

(a) Detent's 83, 85 separate under the action of centrifugal force, releasing detent bar S1. Since slider 53 is then free to move, rotating locking lever 71, slider spring-.69 moves slider 53 about slot 51 toward its armed position. When the armed position is reached, slider lock `pin 57 is driven into socket 67 by centrifugal force, locking slider 53 in position. Detonator ring pin 61, detonator 55, and explosive lead 65 are then all aligned (Fig. s).

(b) Detents 39, 43 move apart under the influence of centrifugal force, releasing locking pin 35 which .is then moved by spring 37 to the position shown in Fig. 5. Striker slider 29, carrying primer tiring pin 33, and primer slider 2.7, carrying primer 31, are then free to move toward each other.

(c) The entire fuze is now armed. When the bomb strikes .an object, primer tiring pin 33 will be driven into primer 31, either by the inertia of the primer or striker sleeve or because of the camming action of surfaces 2.3, 25 depending on the direction of impact. (See my Patent No. 2,420,662 for a fuller explanation, with diagrams, Aof :this all-way fuze action.) The explosion of primer 31 drives detonator tiring pin 6i into detonator 55. Explosion of detonator 55 explodes explosive lead 65, whichiin vturn explodes main charge 11.

By virtue of the double centrifugal arming in mechanism this fuze is extremely safe in its unarmed conditions and completely automatic in its arming. It is therefore especially suitable for use in bomblets for clusters, missile warheads, etc., since no external arming pin is needed and the lfuze `may be mounted in the center of the bomblet 'completely surrounded by the explosive and other charges.

While I have described one embodiment, it will be apparent that various modifications are possible. I therefore wish my invention to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. -A eentrifugally armed impact-sensitive fuze comprising la ffuze body enclosing a chamber having a longitudinal Aaxis, an all-way impact sensitive firing mechanismin said-chamber and comprising a primer and strikingmeansfor said'primer,'rst arming means operable to centrifugally arm said striking means upon rotation about an axis lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to said axis, a detonator tiring pin in open communication with said primer and operable by blast pressure from said primer, a slider movable in an arc about said chamber axis and comprising a detonator, spring means for biasing said slider to an armed position in which said detonator is in alignment with said detonator tiring pin and means c'entrifugally operable upon rotation about an axis lying in a plane perpendicular to said ychamber axis for rcieasing said slider to move to the armed position under the influence of the spring bias in which position said detonator is aligned with said detonator tiring pin.

2. A centrifugally armed, impact sensitive fuze adapted to operate under all directions `of impact, comprising a fuze body forming a cavity having two spaced coaxial, concave and conical end surfaces, a generally cylindrical primer-striker mechanism positioned between said conical end surfaces, said primer-striker 'mechanism comprising a tubular primer sleeve having a primer adjacent said conical end, a tubular striker sleeve in slideable, telescoping relation with said primer sleeve and a ring pin positioned within said striker sleeve in alignment with said primer of said primer sleeve, a transverse positioned and radially slideable locking `pin mounted on said tiring pin, said locking pin in its unarmed condition being spring biased out of engagement with-said primer sleeve thereby to permit Vthe telescoping of said striker yand primer sleeves and therefore the movement of said '-ring pin toward said primer, a pair of longitudinally sliding, centrifugally actuated, detent weights `mounted axially on said 'firing pin, one on each side of said Aradial locking pin, a detent spring positioned between a sliding detent weight and the end of the primer sleeve, a second detent spring positioned between the second sliding detent weight and the end of the striker sleeve, said detent springs serving to 'bias said detents into engagement -with said locking pin, to hold said locking pin in unarmed position in engagement with Vsaid primer sleeve, said detents functioningas centrifugal weights and moving Aaway from said locking pin under the influence of centrifugal force to thereby permit the locldng pin to fall into armed position out of contact with the primer sleeve.

`3. A centrifugally armed fuze comprising a generally cylindrical fuze body having an arcuate slot concentric with the Vaxis of the fuze body, a slider in said arcuate slot, a detonator in said slider, a detonator firing pin in said fuze body, said slider being spring biased into armed position wherein said detonator and ring `pin are in alignment, a locking means mounted in said fuze body, said locking means comprising a cylinder journalled in said `fuze body and having an axis substantially parallel to the axis of said fuze body, a locking cam mounted on a rst end of said cylinder and engaging said slider member in unarmed position against its spring bias, a detent cam on the second end of said cylinder, a detent bar engaging said detent Cam to prevent rotation of said cylinder and the release of said slider, a centrifugally actuated detent positioned substantially parallel to the axis of said fuze body and being spring biased 4to hold said detent bar in engaging position with said detent cam, said centrifugally actuated detent being urged into disengaging position from said detent bar by the action of centrifugal force produced by the rotation 'of said fuze about an axis transverse to the axis of said fuze body, the disengagement of said centrifugal detent from `said detent bar resulting in the disengagement and release of said detent bar from the detent cam and in turn the disengagement and release of the locking cam from the slider, thereby arming said fuze.

4. A centrifugally armed impact sensitive fuze comprising a substantially cylindrical fuze body, said fuze body comprising a substantially cylindrical cavity having interior conical end surfaces, a primer-striker mechanism supported 'by the apices of `said conical surfaces, said primer-striker mechanism comprising telescopically oriented primer and striker sleeves, said primer sleeve having a primer positioned in the sleeve end supported by the conical end surface, said striker sleeve having a iring pin positioned within said striker sleeve in alignment with said primer of said primer sleeve, a radially positioned and radially slideable locking pin mounted on said tiring pin, said locking pin engaging said primer sleeve when the locking pin is in extended position thus preventing the further telescoping of said sleeves and the resulting movement of said tiring pin toward said primer, said locking pin being spring biased into retracted position out of engagement with said primer sleeve, a pair of centrifugally actuated longitudinally sliding detent weights on said iiring pin, positioned one on each side of said locking pin, said weights being spring biased toward said locking pin by two springs, a rst spring being positioned between the first weight and the end of the primer sleeve adjacent a conical surface, a second spring being positioned between the second weight and the end of the striker sleeve adjacent the second conical surface, said springs serving to bias said detent weights into engagement with said locking pin and serving to hold said locking pin in extended position against its spring bias and in engagement with said primer sleeve, to thereby hold the primer-striker mechanism in unarmed position, a bore in said fuze body in open communication with said cylindrical cavity, a detonator tiring pin slideably mounted in said bore and having a piston surface exposed to blast pressure within said cylindrical cavity, an end plate on said fuze body adjacent said detonator tiring pin, an explosive lead extending through said end plate and aligned with said detonator iiring pin, an arcuate slot in said fuze body positioned between said explosive lead and said detonator iiring pin, an arcuate slider movably `mounted in said slot, said slider containing a second transverse primer and'being spring biased to an armed position where said second transverse primer is aligned withsaid detonator ring'pin and said explosive lead, said slider being held in unarmed position against said spring bias,

and positionedvso-that said explosive lead and primer,-

are out of alignment, by means of an intermediate locking Vlever means, said cylindrical fuze structure containing two additional centrifugal weights in the plane of the detent weights of the primer-striker mechanism, said centrifugal weights serving as detents to releasethe intermediate locking lever means to permit said arcuate sliderY to move into armed position, said additional centrifugal weights having spring bias adapted to release said arcuate slider into armed position under centrifugal force prior to the arming of the primer-striker mechanism Yin the cylindrical cavity, said primer-striker mechanism being detonated by inertia forces and the camming action of the conical `surfaces of saidcylindrical cavity, the blast pressure of said detonation serving to actuate the detonator firing pinwhich in turn detonates the second primer and the explosive lead.

- Y References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ),205 Gathmann Feb. 22, 1910 1,309,709 Vickery July V15, 1919 1,503,632 Brayton Aug. 5, 1924 1,551,963 Methlin Sept. 1, 1925 2,420,662 Hale May 20, 1947 2,537,855 Porter Jan. r9, 1951 2,644,399 Knowlton July 7, 1953 

